Netflix Fantasy Action Anime Is One Of The Greatest Of All Time, So Why Hasn’t It Been Rebooted?
The popular anime series Inuyasha is available to stream on Netflix. The show follows a teenage girl named Kagome who accidentally travels back in time to feudal Japan to help a young half-demon named Inuyasha recover the shards of a jewel of great power. While it’s an isekai, and fans have had plenty of those in recent years, the series is one of the best of the genre and still holds up today.
Inuyasha Is Still One Of The Greats
Inuyasha has been immensely popular over the years. The series has a high IMDb audience rating of 7.9, indicating a strong fan base, and is deemed a classic in the anime genre. The show’s engaging storyline, well-developed characters, and a blend of action and romance have contributed to its enduring legacy.
Based On The Long-Running Manga
Inuyasha began as a Japanese manga series from writer and illustrator Rumiko Takahashi. From November 1996 to June 2008, it was serialized in Shogakukan’s magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday, and its chapters were compiled into 56 volumes. Like the anime series, the story follows Kagome Higurashi, a 15-year-old middle school girl from modern-day Tokyo.
It’s An Isekai
After falling into a well in her family shrine, Kagome is transported to the Sengoku period, where she encounters Inuyasha, a half-dog demon, half-human being. When the sacred Shikon Jewel unexpectedly resurfaces, she accidentally breaks it into numerous shards, which scatter throughout Japan. Inuyasha and Kagome then embark on a journey to retrieve the scattered fragments of the Jewel.
Inuyasha is a darker and more serious title compared to Takahashi’s previous works, but it still retains some comedic elements. The series has been well-received, with the manga taking high places in rankings listing sales and appearing in The New York Times and Diamond Comic Distributors’ top-selling lists in North America. It was also one of the most researched series in 2005.
Two Inuyasha Series
The anime adaptation of Inuyasha has been equally successful, with the series ranked 20th in TV Asahi’s 100 Best anime series poll in 2006. It has won several awards, including the Property of the Year in ICv2’s Anime Awards from 2004 and 2005 and the American Anime Awards from 2007 in Best Cast, Best Long Series, and Best Anime Feature categories.
Inuyasha has been adapted into two anime television series produced by Sunrise. The first broadcast for 167 episodes in Japan from October 2000 until September 2004, while the second series, Inuyasha: The Final Act, aired five years later, in October 2009, to cover the rest of the manga series and ended in March 2010 after 26 episodes.
Cornerstone Of Toonami
Four movies and an original video animation have been released. Additional merchandise includes video games and a light novel. Viz Media secured the licensing rights for the manga, both anime series and movies in North America. Inuyasha and Inuyasha: The Final Act graced screens in the United States via Adult Swim (and subsequently its revived Toonami block) from 2002 until 2015.
Incredibly Popular, So Where’s The Remake?
Between March 2003 and November 2004, sales of English DVDs for the series exceeded one million copies. The first film’s DVD held the top spot on the Nielsen VideoScan anime bestseller list for three consecutive weeks. By 2016, Viz Media had sold over 2 million Inuyasha home video units. Despite its achievements, there have been concerns about the series’ repetitive nature.
Given its enduring popularity and timeless appeal, Inuyasha is a prime candidate for a modern remake or retelling. A contemporary adaptation could introduce the series to a new generation of viewers while offering fans a fresh perspective on the beloved story. With advancements in animation and storytelling techniques, an Inuyasha reboot could breathe new life into the series.
